Fire-escape



PIREMESGAPB. 7 No. 277,175. Patented May 8,1888.

l T all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES ALFRED S. TRAFTON, OF PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,175, dated May 8, 1883.

Application filed February 24, 1883. (No model.)

Beit known that I, ALFRED S. TRAF'roN, of Portsmouth, in the county ot' Rockingham and State of' New Hampshire, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention in position ready for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section with the device in use. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section with the device nnwound.

A represents a portion of the wall of a building, and B a portion of a window-frame set therein, B being the meeting-rails. In Fig. l the lower sash is represented as raised. Inside the building, near a window, and secured to the wall, preferably, are the brackets C, supporting a winch, of which D is. the roller, D the anges, and E the crank'. The roller Dis squared between the tlanges D', and placed upon it is the square link H, which necessarily rotates with it, but is sufficiently loose to slip sidewise upon it between the iianges D'. Set into a hole in the wall A, near the window, is a thimble, I, whose outer and inner plates, I l, have enlarged openings, so that the thimble iiares at its ends, producing` rounded edges at t'. A chain, K, is secured to the link H, passes into the thimble I, and is attached to a tiexible plug or stopple, L, to which is secured a ring, L. r

Under ordinary circumstances the device is in the position shown -in Fig. 1, with the chain wound upon the roller D, and the flexible plug L secured in position in the thimble I. Should a tire break out, the occupant of the room reaches out ofthe window and withdraws the plug L by means of the ring L and throws it oi, when the chain l by its own weight rapidly unwinds until it reaches the ground. In

pose set forth.

The rounded edges i facilitate the easy progress of the chain, which, when itis unwound, y

is ready to be used as a fire-escape. Having Vserved its purpose, it is ready for use again by simply drawing up the chain by turning the crank E and inserting the plug L in the thimble I. The flexibility ofthe plug, it being made preferably of rubber, prevents its accidental dropping from its place. The link H being free to play laterally, the chain is not liable to get caught while rapidly unwinding.

The thimble and plates I I I may be made in either two or three pieces.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described improved lire-escape consisting, essentially, of the following parte, Viz: the winch D Dl E, secured within the building, a building-wall provided with a suitably-lined perforation near said winch, and a f chain adapted to extend from said winch through the perforation, and terminating in a Iiexible plug, L, of shape to fit into said perforation, constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a tire-escape, the combination ofthe squared roller D, link H, thimble I, and chain K, provided with the exible plug L, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose described. r

3. In a fire-escape, the combination, with the chain K,vot' the thimble. and plates I I I, rounded at t', substantially as and for the pur- ALFRED s. rTRAFTON.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, OLWER TREFETHEN. 

